Print length: 423 pages
ASIN: B08KRN4KDX
Language: English
Genre: First Contact Science Fiction
SUMMARY: She had been human once. In those times, the stars had been a place of wonder and fascination, somewhere for the future and her imagination to roam. She never dreamt like that anymore. Now a custodian to thousands of lives aboard the UTS Intrepid and a guardian of the colony fleet sent to Hayford b, she worked to protect them. But her previous life was a raw, unresolved memory, a subject on which she had had many years to reflect.
The BookViral Review:
The evolvement of artificial intelligence continues to gather momentum and it’s something Hurst has continued to explore throughout his Sol Protocol series.
With a vivid imagination and a natural gift for writing in the genre he doesn’t skimp on the science but avoids the prevailing genre tendency towards excessive detail. Real science fiction is about ideas, which means it’s at its best when on the written page with Hurst again demonstrating a sure hand when it comes to envisaging future technology, creating vivid scenes and setting the right tone with all the diverse elements of Science Fiction fitting together comfortably.
As with previous releases, Tusk and Clarion, Xenogene is action-packed, emotionally charged and full of surprises, most of them character-driven and all a logical progression of the series to date. But this time around it’s his AI incarnations which take centre stage and with Ellie become increasingly central to the story there’s an additional undertone of science fiction noir which should be well received by Hurst’s fans.
Not only entertaining but a chance for Science Fiction fans to reflect on the very real advances in artificial intelligence and consider where it might ultimately take us, Hurst’s blending of AI and human consciousness percolates with a sophisticatedly palpable sense of wonder and danger.
Wholly original and eminently readable Hurst has returned on top form and Xenogene is recommended without reservation!
